The Deception of Love
by Alana Hunter
Summary: France is on the brink of civil war. Catholic and protestant factions are creating unrest throughout the country. At court, Lola finds herself taken with the powerful Lord Narcisse. She knows he is dangerous, and soon she is given a task by the king which she cannot refuse. Will she be able to guard her own heart?
1. The Butterfly

**Hey guys. My first fanfic in a while. I hope you will enjoy it! :)**

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from Reign is owned by me. Some of the dialogue in the two first chapters are taken from the show, because it's just great writing, none of which I can take credit for. The story is following the TV show from 2x05.**

**Chapter 1: The Butterfly**

Lola found herself staring at him. The talk they had had the night before, was appearing in her mind. She had found him with his late wife's body. At first, she didn't feel comfortable talking to him, but as he kept talking about his earlier wives and his marriage to them, she felt him opening up to her. She knew he could be lying, but he had seemed so honest, so genuinely sad for the wives he had married, but never loved. Lord Narcisse suddenly met her gaze, and she quickly looked away. She spotted Kenna, and ushered her to come talk with her.

"Have you found out who the mystery lover with the butterfly mark is yet?" She asked Kenna as soon she was in hearing range, and no others could hear what she was saying.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it," she said while sipping on her goblet with wine. The sex journal had been circling the French court for some time, and Kenna had found it. The descriptions in it was like nothing Lola had ever seen before. She was quite taken aback by it, but Kenna enjoyed it so much it nearly made her laugh. One description in particular made both their curiosities spark. A man with a butterfly shaped birth mark on his right wrist. He was described numerous times in the book to be a great lover.

"How is it going with you and Bash?"

"Oh, great. But it's not him. I checked." Lola laughed by Kenna's persistence in having the man found. "Besides some of the things described in that book has never happened in our bedroom." Lola looked over at her friend and felt an uneasiness.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, but he's away all the time. On the king's business," she said rolling her eyes. "I barely see him."

"I see. The tension between the protestants and the Catholics is worse than ever. I'm sure he will be more available to you when things get more settled."

"If they ever be," Kenna said.

The court had really outdone itself this time. The great hall was overflowing with people, food and wine, while the tension between Catholics and protestants where rising, the lords and ladies of the court didn't seem to be affected at all. Lola didn't like it, and if she could be leaving without being noticed, she would have done so, but that wasn't possible. She found Lord Aris making his way through the crowd towards her. Lola shifted her stance, and rolled her eyes inwardly. "Oh, good luck," Kenna mumbled just as he reached them, and slipped away into the crowd.

"Lady Lola, I'm pleased to see you here tonight."

"I'm glad to see you too, Lord Aris," Lola said and smiled. Lord Aris was unmistakably handsome. Tall, lean and with just the right amount of stubble to his chin. They exchanged pleasantries, but Lola found his company utterly dull. Yes, he was handsome, but there was something in his manner that had her disinterested right away. It didn't matter if the subject of which they spoke if was interesting or not, she would talk to anyone but him. On the other side he was a catholic noble, and could possibly be a good match for her. She listened to him with respect and tried her utmost to participate in the conversation with the energy and flirting that it deserved.

"Lady Lola! I've been meaning to congratulate you. A magnificent christening of your son, Baron John Phillip. The King was beaming, so proud of his son." Lola stared at Lord Narcisse, who had just plunged right into the conversation. How dared he-

"Oh, I didn't realise. You are the mother of the new baron?" Lord Aris said with a frown.

"That's me, yes. One and the same." Lola shot Narcisse a deadly look. His eyes sparked with amusement.

"Let me offer my congratulations as well. I must apologize. It slipped my memory, but I'm leaving at first light. I should retire." He made a quick bow, and left quickly.

"What was that piece of theatre?" Lola said fuming. "You deliberately drove him away."

"I deliberately saved you time and energy. The fact that you are the mother of the king's son, didn't please him. He and other men would be afraid to get close to you because they see you as the king's property."

"I am no one's property," Lola said immediately.

"Oh, I don't see it like that. But unlike most men, I'm not afraid of the king. In fact," He said while leaning forward just a little. "I suspect our king is somewhat afraid of me." His mouth twitched upwards in a wolfish grin, and she felt a surge deep in her belly from something she couldn't quite identify.

"Well, so am I," she said without thinking.

"And men are afraid of you. So, we're both feared," he said pausing. "Can be quite isolating, can't it. It can leave one lonely..."

"That's presumptuous of you." Lola said shifting uncomfortable under the gaze of his intense blue eyes.

"And yet, it's true." She didn't quite understand where he was going with this. He had never given her this much attention before.

"So, why don't we get to know one another?"

"What?" Lola managed to say, utterly puzzled. That was not going to happen.

"I have always admired the castle gardens, but I rarely get to see them. Why don't you join me for a walk?"

"A walk?"

"You don't like to go for walks?"

"I don't like you."

"You don't know me."

"I know a little."

"That's more than most."

"Well, it's a very odd, but kind gesture, but regrettably I must decline."

"Well, it's an open invitation." He said, and as to underline the sentence, he stretched out his hands in a gesture. The movement made the arms of his doublet stretch just enough, that she spotted something on his right wrist.

It was a birthmark. A butterfly shaped birthmark!

She gasped inwardly, but he was already gone in the crowd. Her curiosity was sparked. She couldn't believe it. Was Lord Narcisse really the supreme lover from the sex journal? Her skin went hot from the images already playing in her mind. She shook her head by the idea, and laughed while taking a sip of her wine. She saw Mary just a few feet away just ending a conversation with one of the nobles. Lola waited patiently, and after he'd gone, she went to talk to her friend.

"How are you, Lola. You look feverish. Are you quite well?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little warm inside these days."

"Yes, indeed. It is." Mary stared with empty eyes to the crowd that was her court, and remained silent for a while. Her skin was pale, and she looked tired.

"The case between the protestants and the Catholics is not going well, Lola." Lola looked up, and inspected her face thoroughly. Mary didn't often discuss matters of state with her, or the rest of her ladies, but now she looked like she needed to talk with someone. Someone she could trust. Mary took hold of her arm, and they went out of the great hall, to the dimly lit hallway. "This morning Francis executed three protestants on pressure from the nobles. This will not end well. It was a mistake. I tried to reason with him, to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen. It's like I can't reach him anymore, Lola." For the first time in ages Mary revealed her true feelings for her. She wasn't happy anymore, and she was afraid. "This could mean the start of a civil war."


	2. The Decision

**Chapter 2: The Decision**

The morning was cool, but with the sun flowing through her window she knew a hot summer day was in motion. She sat in the nursery with her baby, and cradled him against her chest. They were alone, and there was something so peaceful with these mornings that made her feel like all was well. But she knew very well it wasn't. Lola new Mary was right. The news of the execution of the protestants had not been taken well by the protestant people of France. There had been urgent messages about unrest from all over the country the last few weeks, and the King and Queen was working hard to resolve it. They had come to an agreement to wed Princess Claude to a prominent protestant named Lord Devaux. Lola didn't know if it was enough to silence the rage between the factions, but it showed that the King and Queen was taking a stand for respect and equality. Lola apricated that, not just for fear of their own safety, but she believed that no one should live in fear and be condemned for their beliefs.

The wedding was to stand the very same day, and she began to dress. A royal wedding was a grand affair, and she was looking forward to the feast, but as always, she knew it would be a long and tiresome affair. In any case, the food and drinks would be good, she thought. The dress she picked was a deep blue colour that matched her eyes. It was light for the summer season, and the neckline showed off her shoulders and collarbones. The bodice was laced, while the skirt was made of chiffon. She dwelled on her picture in the mirror as her maid pinned her hair back from her face. Her long dark curls were cascading down her back and shoulders, and she was pleased with how well she looked.

After a two-hour long procession and wedding ceremony, they were back at the castle for the wedding feast. The foods and drinks were splendid, and after a while Lola actually managed to let go of the uneasiness she had felt for weeks, and she had a good time. She was seated with her other ladies Greer and Kenna and their spouses.

"I know who the man from the sex journal is," Lola said when she got Kenna on her own.

"What? Who?! Tell me at once!" Lola laughed, amused by her intensity.

"It's Lord Narcisse."

"_Lord Narcisse?!_" Kenna practically screamed.

"Shhhh!" Lola glanced to both sides, but luckily it seemed like Kenna's outburst had gone unnoticed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I saw the birthmark on his wrist."

"Oh! Well this is a great chance for you then."

"Wha-?" Lola didn't manage to ask what she meant by it, before she was gone. She turned around, puzzled by being left by her friend so abruptly, but stopped immediately to not crash into Lord Narcisse that stood right behind her.

"Oh, Lord Narcisse." She curtseyed while feeling her cheeks beginning to turn red. She only hoped he hadn't heard of what they had spoken of.

"Lady Lola. The dancefloor looks splendid, don't you think? But it would look even more splendid if you were dancing on it." The wine made it impossible not to smile at his radicicolous likeable remark. His familiar wolfish grin made her fearful and excited at the same time. He knew how to charm a lady, but she wasn't about to fall for it. She knew better than to play his games.

"I'm not much of a dancer."

"I beg to differ," he said. He offered his hand. She looked at it debating with herself if she should deny him or not. She was of an opinion that it would be disrespectful of her to turn him down, and that one dance couldn't hurt. In secret she revelled in the feeling of how he looked at her. His eyes were open, attentive, and as he took her hand, she felt like he only had eyes for her. His hand was warm and steady as he led her to the dancefloor. Before they parted to stand opposite one another, he leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"You look beautiful tonight." She jumped a little by the proximity, but couldn't help but smile. She looked at the other couples, and saw Greer and Lord Castleroy a few feet from them. Greer sent her a knowingly look, and smiled slightly.

As they began to dance, she felt uncomfortable. She hadn't known until the music began to play, that it was a slow dance. A seductive dance. She averted her eyes from him, and concentrated on the music, but as they went for the first lift, she met his gaze. The intensity of his blue eyes made a spark ignite in her body. The sensation shook her, and she breathed heavily. She was drawn to him. By every step, every movement, every time their hands touched, she felt a little bit more unsteady as the overwhelming feeling of desire took hold of her. Every time their eyes met, his gaze became more and more inappropriate. She was blushing, and as they went for the last lift, she gasped slightly as her feet descended from the dancefloor, and she was suddenly in the air, with his hands steadily on her hips. He put her down, and the dance was over. He still stared at her, but as the music stopped, she felt herself being pulled back to reality. This was dangerous. He was dangerous. She smiled and curtseyed. She left, and retired back to her rooms. The hour was late, so no one would notice.

In the next few days at court gatherings she couldn't help her eyes wandering to look for Lord Narcisse. Most of the days he was there. Sometimes coming to speak with her, sometimes not. But his interest in her was unmistakeable, and she feared that her sparking interest in him wasn't quite as hidden as she thought. In her mind she was shaming herself. She knew him to be a dangerous and ruthless man, with no thought of others than himself, but the times she had spoken with him, she hadn't seen those sides to him.

"My sympathies with your dowry," he suddenly said in a conversation one night.

"How did you know about that?"

"Oh, I dine with the bankers often. They're good company, full of gossip."

"Really?" She averted her eyes.

"I could use my influence on your behalf." She looked at him suddenly.

"Why?"

"To help you."

"In return for?"

"A walk... and the pleasure of your company." Again, Lola debated with herself whether this was wise.

"That's kind, but I don't think it's a good idea."

"Well, I will respect your wishes, but I hope you will reconsider." He bowed before taking his leave.

After he left, she noticed Francis keeping an eye on her. When she met his eyes, he ended his conversation with some of the nobles he was talking with, and headed for her direction. She felt an unease by the frown forming on his eyebrows.

"Lady Lola. It's good to see you. You look well."

"Your Grace, thank you. You too, look well." She curtseyed.

"I´ve noticed you have been spending time in Lord Narcisse's company."

"Well, we have been talking sometimes, yes."

"I saw you dance together at Princess Claude's wedding."

"That's correct." She shifted uneasily. This was beginning to feel very much like an interrogation. "What of it?"

"I don't want you near him. He's dangerous."

"We talk. That's all. You don't have to worry." She tried to smile, but she was a bad liar.

"He seems taken with you."

"Maybe he his, but it will never happen anything between us. I swear." Francis looked at her with worry in his eyes.

"You have been declining his requests to court you?" He suddenly asked.

"Well...yes. In a way." His eyes shifted from worry to deep thought. She studied him as he stared with empty eyes out the window. What was so interesting with her and Narcisse? Suddenly they got abrupted by a servant that had a letter for Francis. He read it, said goodbye to Lola and left.

The morning after Lola awakened by a knock at the door, and a request from the king for an audience. She got dressed and hurried her way to his studies. He was looking out the window as she entered, but greeted her with a short bow. She curtseyed.

"Good morning, Your Grace. You asked to see me?"

"Yes, Lola. I have thought about our conversation yesterday, and something have appeared to me. First, I must ask you, none of the things said in this room can be told to anyone, do you understand? Not even Mary." She looked at him surprised and curious at the same time, but she nodded wanting to hear the rest of what he was going to say. "Lord Narcisse is working against me. He is scheming behind my back, and he will not go along with the best choices for France. With him working against me it could mean civil war." Lola looked at him. He was deadly serious.

"How?" was all she managed to say.

"I cannot go into details of this, but I need you to trust me." She would trust Francis more than Narcisse any day.

"I trust you."

"Good. What I want you to do is to get close to him. Let him court you. Make him believe that what you have is real. I need to know what he is planning." Lola stared at him in disbelief.

"You cannot be serious?" she burst out almost laughing. "Yesterday you said you didn't want me near him."

"I know," he said. His eyes were sad, but determined. "That was before I saw the opportunities of his interest in you. The future of France could be at stake. I know I'm asking a lot of you. You will be risking your life, but this is of crucial importance."

"Are y- Are you asking me to... initiate a sexual relationship with him in order to know his secrets?" He averted his eyes then, but answered her truthfully:

"If the task requires you to do so... yes." She inhaled and exhaled deeply while taken it all in. She went to the window and looked out. Yet another beautiful summer day. She thought about what it would mean for her life, for her son.

"May I take some time to think about this?"

"Of course," Francis said. "You have a big decision to make."

She took her leave, and went back to the nursery to spend time with her son. She sat there the whole day contemplating the incredible task she had been presented. Sometimes she laughed out loud thinking about the scale of it. She could literally die if she did this, and the idea made her cold to the bone. On the other hand, she needed to be honest with herself. She was attracted to Narcisse, and she had come to like him. If she hadn't gotten the task by the king, she may have begun to develop feelings for him. That was certainly out of the question now, and she needed to guard her heart carefully.

Little John didn't seem to be affected by her emotions, but lay calmly in her arms, sleeping peacefully. She thought about him, but then again, she thought about France. She could make a difference to the difficult situation the country found itself in, and yet she would be putting herself at risk.

She visited Francis the morning after, and entered his studies determined.

"I will do as you ask," she said then. "For France." He nodded. He came to stand before her, and he took her hands in his.

"Thank you, Lola."


	3. Catch the Flag

A few days after Lola got the job as the King's spy, the court was gathering for the yearly midsummer celebration. It was day full of activities and games, and all the most important nobles and their families was invited. On midday they court was gathering in the garden for food and wine, and games. The Hoodman's blind was played, as well as Tag and Jingling. Lola participated in some of the games, and managed to have a good time considering the task that lay before her. She drank a lot of wine to calm her nerves, and was getting a little bit drunk. Greer noticed, and pushed a goblet of water in her hands.

"You should drink some water. It's a hot day." Greer studied her while she drank, and asked:

"You have been distant lately. Have something happened?"

"Well, no. I've just been worried about the catholic and protestant unrest... I hope Claude's marriage has the desired effect on the factions." Lola hoped she convinced her. Greer nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it's been difficult. This whole thing is difficult." Lola knew Greer had a hard time getting used to Lord Castleroy being a protestant. It was dangerous being one, not to mention being married to one. They didn't have much time to contemplate on the matter before someone announced that the archery contest was about to begin. People murmured excited and was beginning to make their way to the archery field.

It was in all fifty-three contestants, and so the tournament was ongoing for some time. Lola recognised Lord Narcisse as one of the contestants. He looked handsome with a black and green embroidered doublet, and black trousers and boots. His eyes met hers, and she smiled giving him a nod of acknowledgement. He returned the gesture, and continued concentrating on the contest.

Lola let her mind wander, and started studying the men in the tournament, trying taking her mind of Lord Narcisse. There were indeed many handsome men at court. A prominent catholic noble named Lord Merchand particularly peaked her interest. He was tall, blonde and rather dashing with a gold and green doublet over brown trousers. His stance and manner of speaking and not least skill at archery, impressed her. She didn't quite know who he was, so she asked Greer who stood next to her, and was told that he was the son of a particularly wealthy merchant, and from the information Greer had, a bachelor.

Lola and Greer stood talking for a while as the archery tournament went on. The wind had stopped moving as the last arrows were hitting the targets and they proclaimed the winner. The king, of course. He seemed glad, but a shadow of worries always seemed to cloud Francis's face these days. The hot day made Lola sweat, and she and Greer moved to shadows of the marquees. Soon the sun started setting, and the coolness of the air was more than welcome to everyone on the field. Lola had started drinking some wine again, and felt better with the not so hot afternoon, soon to be evening. She was pouring herself a goblet of water to keep herself balanced, but just as she was about to turn around, she bumped into something and the goblet flew out of her hands. The water splashed on her dress and on whomever she had bumped into. She saw up and met Lord Marchand's eyes. His look of surprise and the sudden suspense in the moment made her laugh.

"Oh, I'm so sorry... Lord Merchand, I believe?" She curtseyed, still giggling.

"No matter, my lady. By the smell of it..." he sniffed his jacket. "Water?" Lola nodded and blushed. "Well, I don't think it will leave a stain," he said picking up her goblet.

"Not for long in this heat," Lola said. He smiled, and started pouring water in her goblet. When he finished, he presented to her.

"Your water, my lady."

"Thank you." She smiled.

"May I know your name?" he suddenly asked.

"I'm lady Lola. One of the queen's ladies."

"Lady Lola, of course. A pleasure to meet you." He smiled and bowed before he left.

"What happened there?" Greer had suddenly appeared behind her, obviously following their exchanged from a distance.

"Well, nothing really. I bumped into him with a glass full of water, and we presented ourselves."

"Wow, how romantic," Greer smirked.

"Well, not re-" Her sentence was broken off by someone declaring a game starting by the forest.

"Oh, this one we are attending," Greer said. "A new game, finally." They trooped along with the other ladies and found Kenna and Mary on the way as they were also attending. They were as excited as them, and the mood was great as they were put in different teams. There were four teams, with five people on each team, both men and women were attending. Lola and Greer were put on the same team, while Queen Mary and Kenna were on the other teams. Lola noticed both King Francis, Lord Narcisse and Lord Merchand were all attending the game, but none of them were put at the same team as herself and Greer. The different teams were given a ribbon to tie to around their arms to show what teams they were representing. Greer and Lola were on the yellow team, while the others were blue, green and red. Lola found the sun had set without her even noticing, and an agreeable blue light had surrounded them on the field. The forest looked dark, but it was just about enough light to guide them. She met Lord Narcisse's gaze and felt a shiver down her spine as he pierced her with his steel blue eyes. It only lasted for a moment, but the impact it had on her almost made her embarrassed. A clerk came forward to announce the game and the rules.

"Welcome! This is a new game called Catch the flag. It's very simple. Twenty-one red flags have been scattered in the forest you see before you. Your task is to find as many as you can and bring them to me. The team who finds the greatest amounts of flags has won." The teams nodded and smirked to each other, ready to win over their friends. "No foul play is allowed. If you have caught a flag, it's not allowed from any of the other teams to try to take it away from you." Lola caught a glimpse of Narcisse's eyes, and knew at once that he had no intention of playing by the rules. "Are there any questions to the game or to the rules?" The crowd was silent. "Well then, make yourself ready." The teams spread out, leaned forward ready to run. The silence and the concentration for the game was nearly making Lola laugh, but she was just as keen on winning as the others. She could feel her heart pump hard in her chest.

"Ready...set...go!" Everyone sprinted for the forest, and Lola followed but wasn't as fast as many of her team members. She jogged and immediately started looking around her as she entered the forest. It wasn't impossible that they had put a flag or two right at the beginning of the forest because everyone was sprinting the first few metres. The ground was mostly hard soil and moss, so it was easy to walk around. Her eyes were just starting getting used to the dim light, but she saw no red flags. She started looking up, in the branches of the trees, in the roof of the leaves, but she still found nothing. For a while she walked slowly examining everything around her.

After a while she realised, she was all alone behind everyone else and started jogging after the others, but many had already disappeared into the large forest. She could still hear footsteps, and branches snapping at the distance, but she couldn't really see anybody. She walked fast and tried going slightly to the right. She looked up, her eyes starting to get used to the darkness. There! She saw it. A red flag in the branches of the tree. She glanced around her, but no one was nearby. She couldn't reach it, so she started climbing. It was not too far, and soon she managed to snatch it from the branch. She climbed down, and straightened her dress. The sound of a branch snapping made her jump. Lord Narcisse appeared from the shadows. Just six feet from her. His eyes sparkled in the dim light, and while she couldn't clearly see the expression on his face, she could feel his wolfish grin.

"Well, lady Lola, I know they said no foul play, but here in the dark all alone, I might not be so considerate." Lola stared at him, her mind working fast at how she could turn this into her advantage. His ambiguous remark made her shiver. After all the rumours she had heard of him at court, she was not sure how to take it. She felt scared and excited all at the same time, and she felt her breath growing faster. After they had danced at Claude's wedding, she had fantasized about them together, just like this, in a forest all alone. She couldn't admit it to anyone, almost not to herself, but she wondered how it would be to kiss him.

This is dangerous.

"Lord Narcisse, I would never assume you would play by the rules. I know you too well for that." She smiled sweetly, almost cringing at the ridiculous thing she just said. "Have you come to steal my flag?"

"Oh, I hope to steal more than that." Lola couldn't help but chuckle at that. But he didn't move. By just two steps he could have erased the distance between them. Yet he didn't.

"If you let me keep the flag, I will take a walk with you."

"An interesting proposal, lady Lola," he drawled. "How do I know this is not just a part of the game, and it's forgotten once we're done?"

"I give you my word."

"I'm not so sure I can trust that just now, my lady. No offence intended, of course." She stared at him, almost offended, but pulled a ring off of her finger impulsively.

"This is my most cherished possession. My grandmothers ring. You can give it back to me, when we go for that walk." She handed it to him, quite pleased with herself, and waited for his reaction. He studied the ring for a moment.

"Fine, I will."


	4. The Edict

The last few days had been dramatic at court. A new edict had been presented to the king by the nobles. The edict demanded that all French subjects were to publicly declare their faith to the King. She knew immediately that this would cause an uproar by the protestants as this was a way to sort out who were loyal to the faith and to the crown, and those who weren't. She also thought about Greer and what it would mean for her marriage.

She met Kenna for breakfast and couldn't help state her fears.

"This will cause a witch hunt throughout the country if Francis decides to sign."

"Surely, he wouldn't." Kenna said with a mouth full of bread.

"I don't know. He's been acting strange lately. He's doing things he wouldn't have otherwise." Kenna looked at her deep in thought.

"They are fighting. Mary and Francis. Mary told me. He doesn't confide in her anymore. I wonder what's going on." Lola nodded. She agreed. They had always been a good team, but now it seemed they were struggling. She couldn't help but wonder if Narcisse had anything to do with it.

She had agreed to meet him later that day. Just as the sun had begun to set in the afternoon, and the wind had favoured them with a delightful, cool breeze, she came out of the castle and saw him waiting for her in the courtyard. He smiled as he laid his eyes upon her. She was wearing a light summer dress. It was red mixed with purple details, and he couldn't help but stare as she walked towards him.

"Lord Narcisse."

"Lady Lola, you look lovely," he said and made a movement of his arm for the direction of their walk. She nodded slightly. "I assume you have received your dowry by now?" he asked.

"Yes. I wanted to thank you. It meant a great deal. Now I have the freedom to do as I please." They walked a while in silence, and as she come to terms with it, it wasn't that unpleasing. They entered the edge of the forest by the lake. The world was calm and beautiful this summer evening. She was wandering if it would stay that way.

"I heard about the edict," she said. "I think it's wrong. You're setting the people against each other." She was trying not to accuse him of something, but she was. She was wildly disagreeing with him for pressuring Francis, but she was fighting to keep her calm. She couldn't show her feelings on this. She wasn't free to. Not anymore. She didn't even know if it was wise to mention it at all. Probably not. But she couldn't stay silent.

"Protestants are undermining the crown. Francis is losing power with the people. Either way this is going to become dangerous." His voice became darker by every word, and a shiver went down her spine despite the weather.

"But the edict will cause an uproar. You must know this!" Lola stopped abruptly. Narcisse turned to her. He was studying her face, and appeared annoyed. He looked away, to hide a contraction between his brows, and looked at her again. His eyes were angry, dangerous.

"Without the edict, the protestant threat will continue to grow, only in silence. This way we will know who they are, and how many. They will not wish a catholic ruler to stay on the French throne."

"You think Francis's rule is in danger?" Lola said stunned.

"He's a catholic king. No protestant will be safe under him. They know that."

"He does not see at them as enemies."

"The law and the Vatican say otherwise."

"Either way, this is wrong."

"Maybe it is, but to do nothing may be more dangerous for all of us." She was warm, not just because of her anger but the air was so hot, she thought she might take a bath to save her life. They started to walk again, slowly. Both of them in deep thought. The green world of the leaves was surrounding them. It smelled like fresh, light air. It was almost like her lungs had never breathed more deeply, more fully until now. She watched the water dip lazily by the rocks. It was looking quite tempting.

"The lake seems quite tempting now, does it not?" She looked at him, and was met with that irresistible wolfish grin. His mood had changed, and he was back to his flirtatious self.

"You cannot help yourself, can you?" She sighed, and walked a little faster. She fought a smile. She could not admit that she secretly loved his teasing. She heard him give in to a small laugh.

"Well, I am just stating the facts, my lady. A bath would cool us down. As for me, I see no reason not to." She walked a few steps more, but could not hear him behind her.

"Are you comi-" She turned around, and stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him. He had begun to undress. His boots were already in the grass and his shirt and doublet on the ground beside them. His was lean, with muscles at all the right places, but not excessively so. She couldn't help admire him.

"What are you doing?" Lola said overcome with disbelief.

"I'm going for a swim. Are you coming?" He started unbuckling his belt, and she turned around abruptly.

"No, obviously! Someone could see you. This is ridiculous."

"Well, suit yourself." After a few moments she heard a splash and a deep sigh, and she could turn around. Only his head was above water, thankfully. She trotted to the lakeside with her arms crossed.

"You are unbelievable."

"No one can see us here. No one ever walks this way. This is my private little spot," he said smiling. "Is there nothing I can do to sway you?" He took a few steps forward as he talked. She got a glimpse of his arms. He was tempting. The lake was tempting. The forest was quiet around them, and all she could see of the castle was just a glimpse in the horizon. She shifted her weight on the other leg, moving uneasy. She looked at him again as he studied her. His eyes shone in the dim light, and she could see the suspense growing in him as he understood she actually considered it.

"Turn around." The words were out before she could stop them.

"What?" He said. She suspected his words were more a surprised reaction to his invite, than a misunderstanding of what she had said.

"You heard me." He turned around at once, giving her freedom to undress without his eyes praying upon her. She did so quickly, uncertain that he would keep turned. She entered the water slowly, a few feet away from him, in safe distance she thought. The ground was muddy, and sloppy, and she feared she would fall, but she managed to keep on her feet. The water had been warmed by the sun all day. It was still cold, but just warm enough to not freeze. He turned slowly, finding her at a distance.

"You were right. This is lovely." She giggled.

"You are indeed full of surprises, my lady. Shall we?" Lola nodded. They swam side by side for a little while, and she began feeling comfortable. Safe. He didn't touch her, and didn't try to either, but she felt his gaze upon her. He wanted her. There was no doubt in her mind. She could see it in his eyes.

They dressed themselves in silence, but with their backs to each other. When it came to the corset of her dress it was obviously easier to get off, then to put on. She hadn't thought about that. She struggled, and her arms was getting tired.

"Could you help me? With the corset, I mean?" she asked shamefully. Narcisse was finished dressing and turned around.

"Well, of course my lady," he drawled. He took care of her corset in a matter of seconds with his trained hands, yet his fingers lingered at her neck. "Yet, I would rather have you asking me to take it off." He was close. She could feel his breath on her ear. Just the smallest gust of warm breeze. She felt a warm sensation in her body growing, but she was determined. He was to make the first move.


End file.
